 Early Times Report
Jammu, July 16: Even as the Congress has decided to participate in the National Conference's proposed Jantar Mantar protest in New Delhi on July 20, the party will first organise a major rally in Jammu on July 19 to press for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood.
Under its "Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq" campaign, the Congress will stage a dharna at Maharaja Hari Singh Park before taking out a march towards Raj Bhawan, where party leaders will submit a memorandum addressed to the President of India through Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, demanding the restoration of statehood. According to sources within the Congress, the July 19 programme is aimed at demonstrating the party's independent political strength on the statehood issue ahead of the National Conference's protest in Delhi.
"The objective is to ensure that the Congress' sustained campaign for statehood is recognised and that the coalition partner alone does not take political credit for the movement," sources said.
Meanwhile, AICC General Secretary and Jammu and Kashmir Congress in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Thursday confirmed that the party would participate in the National Conference's proposed Jantar Mantar protest, asserting that the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood is a people's cause and not the agenda of any single political party.
Addressing reporters, Mir said the Congress has consistently opposed the constitutional changes of August 5, 2019, and has been raising the demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional rights and statehood at every available platform.
He said the Congress had consciously chosen not to join the Omar Abdullah-led government despite having the opportunity, maintaining that the people's mandate was for the restoration of statehood and the return of meaningful powers to the elected government.
"There is no point in becoming ministers when there are no real powers," Mir said.
Welcoming the National Conference's call for the July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar, Mir said the Congress would extend its full support and actively participate in the programme.
He appealed to all political parties to set aside political differences and unite for the common cause of restoring Jammu and Kashmir's statehood.
"No one should allow political ego to come in the way of a larger public cause. This is an issue concerning the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and all parties should raise a united voice," he said.
Mir said the Congress expects large participation in its July 19 "Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq" programme in Jammu, with party workers and supporters from across the Union Territory likely to attend. He added that a selected delegation of Congress leaders and workers would then travel to New Delhi to join the National Conference-led protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20. |
